Cyst of the jawbone

Odontogenic cysts are considered a complication of the main inflammatory process in the jaw bone. The jawbone cyst looks like a cavity with an epithelial tissue inside and a fibrous wall. The cyst, as a rule, contains exudate - thick, not purulent. The purulent contents of the cyst are characteristic of the late stage of cyst formation, which will debut 3-6 months after the onset of the process.

[1], [2], [3]

Causes of the cyst of the jaw

The jawbone cyst is located in the root zone of the tooth or in the area of the crown, the provoking factor for the formation of the cystic cavity may be periodontitis. As the cyst develops and increases, the jaw wall gradually breaks down, the bone undergoes resorption, which manifests itself in the form of a characteristic crunch when pressed on the teeth and jaw.

[4], [5]

Symptoms of the jaw cyst

A large cyst can break the oval of the face, protruding from the site of its localization. Especially dangerous cysts of the upper jaw, which increase in the direction of the maxillary sinus, without appearing external signs. The growth of the cyst is always slow, the initial stage proceeds latently without clinical signs. Cystic formation can be an accidental finding during a planned visit to the dentist, but in 85-90% of cases the cyst is determined during an exacerbation, when it appears suppuration and strongly deforms the jaw. The most difficult cases of dentists are pathological jaw fractures, provoked by thinning of bone tissue. Also a serious complication is the germination of a large cyst in the nasal cavity and even in the orbit zone.

The jaw cyst can be of two kinds - odontogenic or non-dontogenous in nature.

The odontogenic cyst is a direct consequence of a chronic, triggered inflammatory process in the periodontal tissues. An odontogenic cyst can cause symptoms of general intoxication, since for a long time the neoplasm releases into the body the products of the decomposition of pathogenic microorganisms. Intoxication is manifested by fever, transient dull headaches. Suppuration of the cyst is expressed in a strong edema of the jawbones, pulsating pain, asymmetrically swollen face. Odontogenic cysts are divided into these types: 

• Keratokist.
• The follicular cyst.
• Radicular cyst.
• Root cyst.

Among all types of bone marrow cyst, only the radicular and root can be considered. 

1. Radical cyst is diagnosed most often, according to statistics, this type of cyst is defined in 55-60% of patients with characteristic clinical signs of benign tumors of the jaw bone system. The cyst develops in the focus of chronic inflammation - periodontitis, often its beginning is granuloma. The preferred localization of the radicular cyst is the bone of the upper jaw. Cysts in this zone can reach 3-4 centimeters, they tend to hyperplasticize in the form of processes towards the wall of the cavity, and radical cysts are often often overtaxed, while the inflammatory process seizes the maxillary cavity, provoking odontogenic sinusitis. A large cyst grows slowly, chronically destroying the jawbone and draining its cortical layer. In 3-5%, radical odontogenic cysts of the jaw are capable of malignization.
2. The root odontogenic cyst is also formed as a consequence of a chronic inflammatory process. It grows very slowly, presses on the tissue of the jawbone, which compensates for it, thereby disrupting the normal functions of the dentoalveolar apparatus. The root cyst is characterized by spontaneous pathological fractures of the jaw, a serious complication of the development of the cyst can be osteomyelitis or malignant jaw tumor.

Diagnosis of the jaw cyst

Diagnose the jawbone cysts with a panoramic X-ray, ultrasound and puncture.

[6], [7], [8], [9]

Treatment of the jaw bone cyst

Treatment of the cyst of the jaw is almost always surgical, with partial or complete resection of damaged bone tissue, extraction of the destroyed tooth is possible.